Sheik (SSBU)

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Sheik in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Universe	The Legend of Zelda
Other playable appearances	in Melee in Brawl in SSB4
Availability	Unlockable
Final Smash	Sheikah Dance

“	Now Sheik joins the battle wearing the Sheikah costume from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Keep the pressure on your opponent by using his [sic] speedy dash to quickly close in on (or get away from) your opponent!	”
—Super Smash Blog, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Official Site

Sheik (シーク, Sheik) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. She was officially confirmed on June 12th, 2018 alongside Zelda and the rest of the returning roster. Sheik is classified as fighter #16.

Sheik is now voiced by Ayumi Fujimura, who voices her alter-ego in The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and portrays her in Ultimate as well. She replaces Jun Mizusawa.

How to unlock

Complete one of the following:

• Play VS. matches, with Sheik being the 47th character to be unlocked.
• Clear Classic Mode with Donkey Kong or any character in his unlock tree, being the fifth character unlocked after King Dedede.
• Have Sheik join the player's party in World of Light.

With the exception of the third method, Sheik must then be defeated on Gerudo Valley.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. 4

Like most dominating characters, Sheik in Smash 4 was considered the one of the most potent characters (and the best character in the middle of the game's lifetime) due to her infamous neutral game even after receiving the most nerfs from game updates, which did little to reduce her effectiveness. Possibly as a result of her dominance, Sheik has been nerfed overall in the transition from Smash 4 to Ultimate.

Sheik's notable nerfs are from her attacks in which it now deal far less damage, due to her main combo moves like all tilts, neutral aerial and forward aerial, in addition to Needle Storm and Bouncing Fish. This requires her to string even more hits together in order to rack up notable amounts of damage, exacerbated by her lack of KO ability. Her already poor survivability has also been worsened due to her weight being decreased, and while the weakening of rage makes her combos more consistent, it gives her more difficulty KOing at high percentages. Furthermore, while Sheik benefits from the universally faster jumpsquats and lower landing lag like the rest of the cast, most other characters have received more significant buffs in those aspects, due to her having already had the overall fastest frame data in Smash 4, allowing more characters to keep up with her.

Sheik did receive some buffs besides universal changes, however. Her rapid jab connects much more reliably and its finisher has less ending lag, making it more effective for damage racking despite its individual hits dealing less damage. Her up tilt, down tilt and Needle Storm (especially the aerial version) also have less ending lag, improving their combo potential, while her generally least used moves in Smash 4 such as her dash attack, down smash, down aerial and up throw deal more damage. Most notably, however, her back aerial deals more damage and knockback, improving its previously lacking KO potential when sweetspotted (though it is still a relatively weak aerial), and her pummel has gone from one of the slowest to one of the fastest, allowing it to be used more safely.

Overall, Sheik's nerfs outweight her buffs, making her worse than her Smash 4 iteration, though it is currently unknown how much they will exactly end up affecting her in Ultimate's metagame. Her current representation in Ultimate has been below average, with many notable players such as Vinnie, Mr. R, and VoiD dropping her in favor of other characters.

Aesthetics

• Sheik's design is now based on the Sheikah Set from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, including the long white scarf of the Stealth Mask.
• Sheik's color scheme is more subdued, and her hair features simple detailing similar to Brawl.
• Sheik is more vocal. She now vocalizes when using Vanish and Bouncing Fish.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Sheik's jumpsquat animation now takes 3 frames to complete (down from 4).
• Sheik's initial dash speed (1.7 → 2.178) and run speed (2.016 → 2.42) are faster.
• Sheik's air speed is faster (1.1 → 1.155).
• Sheik's weight has been decreased (81 → 78), now being lighter than Kirby. This further worsens her endurance, but makes her less susceptible to combos.
• Sheik's traction is higher (0.06 → 0.106).
• Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 28 → 27).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-15 → 4-12).
• Back roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-15 → 4-14) and has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 33).
• Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 25 → 24).
• Spot dodge has more startup and grants less intangibility (frames 2-15 → 3-14).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 2-25 → 2-26).
• Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 31 → 45).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first and second hits, as well as the neutral infinite, have altered angles and knockback to keep opponents close to Sheik, akin to other neutral attacks.
    • This allows them to connect better and jab lock.
    • The neutral infinite also comes out faster (frame 9 → 5) and deals drastically less hitlag, allowing it to connect more reliably from the second hit and making it harder to escape.
    • However, this worsens Sheik's guaranteed jab cancel setups with the first and second hits, which played a large part in the utility of her neutral attack in Smash 4.
  • The neutral infinite's finisher has less ending lag (FAF 53 → 42), no longer being the slowest in the game.
  • All hits except the first deal less damage (3% → 1.6% (hit 2), 0.8%/0.6% → 0.3% (infinite), 3% → 2% (finisher)).
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt deals less damage (4% → 3%), with knockback compensated.
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has less ending lag (FAF 36 → 33).
  • The second hit comes out faster (frame 19 → 17), allowing it to connect better from the first hit.
  • Both hits deal less damage (5% → 3% (hit 1), 6% → 4% (hit 2)), with knockback compensated.
  • The first hit is harder to connect against grounded opponents, due to characters no longer being able to walk or run through each other.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt has less ending lag (FAF 30 → 27), improving its combo potential.
  • It deals less damage (5% → 4.5%). However, this also allows it to combo for longer.
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has less ending lag (FAF 41 → 35).
  • It deals more damage (6.5% → 7% (clean), 4.5% → 5% (late)) without compensation on knockback, improving its KO potential.
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has less ending lag (FAF 51 → 45).
  • The second hit comes out faster (frame 26 → 20), allowing it to connect better from the first hit.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash can no longer hit twice.
• Down smash:
  • Down smash has less ending lag (FAF 55 → 52).
  • The first hit deals more damage (3% → 4%).
  • The second hit launches at a lower angle, improving its KO potential.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have reduced landing lag (10 frames → 6 (neutral), 10 frames → 5 (forward), 12 frames → 7 (back), 21 frames → 13 (up), 30 frames → 22 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial deals less damage (8%/7% → 6%/5% (clean), 5%/4% → 4%/3% (late)), with knockback compensated on the clean hit.
  • The late hit has increased knockback, hindering its combo potential at higher percents.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial deals less damage (4.3%/5% → 3.8%/4.5%), with knockback compensated.
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial deals more damage (7%/8% → 7.5%/9.5% (clean), 5% → 6% (late)).
  • It deals considerably more knockback, with the clean hit's sweetspot now KOing middleweights at around 175% from the center of most stages, compared to being unable to KO under 200% in Smash 4.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial's looping hits deal less hitlag, making them harder to SDI out of.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial deals more damage (8% → 10%).
  • The landing hit has increased base knockback.

Throws/other attacks

• Grab has less range.
• All grabs have increased ending lag (FAF 28 → 37 (standing), 35 → 45 (dash), 33 → 40 (pivot)).
• Dash and pivot grab have more startup (frame 8 → 9 (dash), 9 → 11 (pivot)).
• Pummel:
  • Sheik has a new pummel, a knee strike rather than an elbow jab.
  • It is significantly faster, but deals much less damage (3.1% → 1%).
• Up throw:
  • Up throw deals more damage (2% → 3% (throw), 5% → 6% (total)).
  • Up throw deals more knockback, diminishing its combo potential while not granting it KO potential.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw has decreased knockback, improving its combo potential.
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).

Special Moves

• Needle Storm:
  • Needle Storm's charge can now be canceled by jumping or spot dodging.
  • It has less ending lag, allowing for better followups with the aerial version.
  • It deals less damage per needle (1.9% → 1.5% (clean), 1.2% → 0.8% (late)).
  • Its charge can no longer be canceled immediately by rolling, instead incurring 4 frames of lag beforehand.
  • The flight trajectory of aerial needles has been altered from approximately a 45° angle to a shallower 30° angle. This makes them worse as a followup from aerials at lower percents, but better at higher percents.
  • Sheik can now throw the needles with the attack button while charging.
  • Sheik now holds the needles in her hand.
• Burst Grenade:
  • Burst Grenade no longer leaves Sheik helpless in the air.
  • It has less ending lag upon releasing the grenade.
  • The grenade's vortex is now clear/white rather than light blue.
• Vanish:
  • Vanish grants intangibility earlier when used on the ground (frame 19 → 14).
  • Sheik emits a gold flash right before she disappears.
• Bouncing Fish:
  • After the first kick of Bouncing Fish hits an opponent, successive kicks deal more damage (12% → 13%), which also improves their KO potential.
  • It no longer grants intangibility.
  • It has slightly more startup (frame 17 → 18).
  • The first kick deals less damage (12% → 11%), with knockback compensated.
  • Bouncing Fish produces a splash of water at the start.
• Sheikah Dance:
  • Sheik has a new Final Smash called Sheikah Dance, replacing Light Arrow. Sheik dashes forward while the Sheikah symbol flashes on-screen. If the initial attack lands, Sheik will trap the opponent in place and repeatedly slash them with her dagger before launching them away, similar to Triforce Slash.

Update History

2.0.0

• Up smash's first hit has more range.
• Down smash connects more reliably.
• Sheik can grab ledges faster after using forward aerial.
• Up aerial auto-cancels earlier (frame 47 → 44), matching the move's interruptibility.
• Burst Grenade has less endlag.

Moveset

• Sheik can crawl, wall cling, and wall jump.

Note: All numbers are listed as base damage, without the 1v1 multiplier.

		Name	Damage	Description
Neutral attack			2%	An inward knifehand strike, followed by an upward knifehand strike. When button mashed, Sheik performs a barrage of knifehand strikes, followed by a palm thrust.
			1.6%
			0.3% (loop), 2% (final)
Forward tilt			3%	A roundhouse kick.
Up tilt			3% (hit 1), 4% (hit 2)	Performs a stretch kick that transitions to an axe kick.
Down tilt			4.5%	A legsweep.
Dash attack			7% (clean), 5% (late)	Lunges to perform an outward fanning knifehand strikes with both of her arms.
Forward smash			5% (hit 1), 8% (hit 2)	A roundhouse kick followed by a spinning side kick. Both attacks cause Sheik to move forward.
Up smash			11%	Raises her arms overhead and then quickly swings them downward to perform outward fanning knifehand strikes.
Down smash			4% (hit 1), 6% (hit 2)	A modified butterfly kick performed from the windmill (a breakdancing move).
Neutral aerial			6% (clean sweetspot), 5% (clean sourspot), 4% (late sweetspot), 3% (late sourspot)	A flying kick.
Forward aerial			4.5% (sweetspot), 3.8% (sourspot)	A lunging, downward knifehand strike.
Back aerial			9.5% (clean sweetspot), 7.5% (clean sourspot), 6% (late)	A high-angled back kick.
Up aerial			1% (hits 1 - 3), 4% (hit 4)	A diagonal, corkscrew flying kick. This is concluded by another kick with the opposite leg.
Down aerial			10% (descent), 2% (landing)	A diagonal flying kick. It is a stall-then-fall, and its clean hitbox is a meteor smash during its beginning.
Grab			—	Reaches out.
Pummel			1%	A knee strike.
Forward throw			5% (hit), 2% (throw)	The tie shan kao (a technique used in Bajiquan).
Back throw			5% (hit), 2% (throw)	Throws opponent behind herself and performs a mid-level side kick.
Up throw			3% (hit and throw)	A handstand kick.
Down throw			3% (hit and throw)	A collar drag takedown followed by a somersault axe kick.
Forward roll Back roll Spot dodge Air dodge		—	—
Techs		—	—
Floor attack (front) Floor getups (front)			7%	Kneels and performs a palm thrust in front of herself, and then behind herself.
Floor attack (back) Floor getups (back)			7%	A kip-up transitioned into a double-footed scorpion kick.
Floor attack (trip) Floor getups (trip)			5%	Squats on one leg and performs a spinning roundhouse kick.
Edge attack Edge getups			9%	Performs a corkscrew dropkick while climbing up.
Neutral special		Needle Storm	1.5% (per needle, close), 0.8% (per needle, far)	Accumulates up to six needles that can be thrown immediately or stored for later use. When used in the air, Sheik throws the needles downward at approximately 30°. One of Sheik's best options for camping and zoning.
Side special		Burst Grenade	1% (grenade), 1% (vortex), 12.6% (explosion)	Throws a grenade attached to a tripwire. On detonation, it creates a small vortex that pulls opponents towards it, then explodes. The detonation can be delayed a second by holding the special move button. The grenade can be thrown a farther when used in the air or when thrown over an edge, and its explosion is strong enough to KO middleweights at 115% near the edge, making it useful for edge-guarding. If Sheik is attacked before the grenade explodes, the grenade will detach from the tripwire and become a non-explosive item that anyone can use.
Up special		Vanish	12% (disappearance), 5% (reappearance)	After a short delay, Sheik destroys a Deku Nut in order to disappear via a small explosion, before reappearing nearby in a controlled direction. Its disappearing hitbox's respectable damage output and very high knockback scaling enable it to KO at 100% while near the upper blast line. It also grants a small vertical boost when used in the air. Conversely, its reappearance hitbox deals much less damage, but also has a windbox that can push away opponents who are very close to wherever Sheik reappears. It grants intangibility on frames 19-53. Reappearing near a edge renders her helpless, though self-destructing with the move is difficult to do because it allows Sheik to grab the edge the moment she enters helplessness.
Down special		Bouncing Fish	11% (first kick), 13% (following kicks)	A 360° Tengkong Pantui Cepu (a kick used in Nanquan). If it connects with an opponent, she will backflip a distance away and land on her feet. She can then kick up to three times by pressing the special move button again after the preceding kick connects. Upon missing, she experiences landing lag if she lands before the move's animation is over. It can also be executed earlier by pressing the special button again, and covers more distance if the control stick is held in whatever direction Sheik is facing. Its long horizontal travel distance, respectable damage output, and high knockback scaling make it one of Sheik's most viable KOing options. It KOs middleweights at 120% while near the edge, and grants intangibility on frames 3-4. Due to its earliest input hitting on frame 17 and its landing lag, however, it is punishable if it misses.
Final Smash		Sheikah Dance	% (entire move)

Victory poses

• Kicks once (similar to her forward tilt), spins on the ground (similar to her down smash), then poses with her arms bent across her body.
• Crouches, swipes with her hand twice, then stands up while rearing back her right hand up to her face.
• Performs the fumikomi geri (a stomp-style kick in karate), followed by a mid-level side kick, and then exhales loudly before performing the tate shuto uke (a blocking technique in Shotokan).

A flourished and abridged remix of the theme that plays when Link obtains a Triforce Piece in The Legend of Zelda and has since become the main theme of The Legend of Zelda series.

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Classic Mode: Masquerade

Sheik's opponents are characters who wear masks or other forms of headwear to conceal their identity.

Round	Opponent	Stage	Music	Notes
1	Meta Knight	Fountain of Dreams	Forest Stage
2	Captain Falcon	Big Blue	Death Wind
3	Samus	Norfair	Opening/Menu - Metroid Prime
4	Roy Koopa	Mushroom Kingdom U	Underground Theme - Super Mario Land
5	Little Mac	Boxing Ring	Tunnel Scene - X-Scape	Little Mac is in his wireframe with hoodie costume.
6	Mii Fighter Team	Final Destination	Meta Crystal	The Mii Fighters are all wearing masks or helmets.
Bonus Stage
Final	Master Hand	Final Destination	Master Hand	On intensity 7.0 and higher, Crazy Hand fights alongside Master Hand, and the track Master Hand / Crazy Hand plays during the battle.

Role in World of Light

Although Sheik does not appear in the World of Light opening cutscene, she was vaporized and later imprisoned alongside the rest of the fighters (sans Kirby) when Galeem unleashed his beams of light.

During the mode itself, Sheik can be unlocked early on shortly after rescuing Mario, where the player arrives at a crossroads and has the choice to rescue her, Marth or Villager. If one of the others is rescued first, Sheik's path will be blocked by a force field created by Master Hand, which will disappear upon defeating a boss or can be circumvented by looping back to the other side.

Sheik has a separate awakening battle from Zelda, who appears in the opening cutscene.

Spirits

Sheik's Fighter Spirit can be obtained by completing Classic Mode. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 500 coins. Unlocking Sheik in World of Light allows the player to preview the spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a Fighter Spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. Each Fighter Spirit has an alternate version that replaces them with their artwork in Ultimate.

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  174. Sheik

Alternate costumes

Gallery

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  Artwork of all The Legend of Zelda characters, as posted on the official Legend of Zelda Twitter account.

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  Sheik's fighter card.

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  Sheik posing on Skyworld.

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  Fighting Wii Fit Trainer on Coliseum.

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  Surrounded by the fires on Kalos Pokémon League.

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  Sheik performing Bouncing Fish near a Goldeen on Tortimer Island.

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  Sheik and Ivysaur taunting on Tomodachi Life.

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  Sheik on Lylat Cruise.

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  Sheik and King Dedede hit by Mr. Game & Watch's down smash on Yoshi's Story.

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  Sheik getting hit by Toad's spores on Tortimer Island.

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  Sheik becoming buried by the male Wii Fit Trainer's neutral attack on 3D Land.

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  Sheik getting hit by Zero Suit Samus's back aerial on Luigi's Mansion.

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  Sheik charging Needle Storm on Tortimer Island.

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  With all playable The Legend of Zelda veterans on the Great Plateau Tower.

• Ganondorf(SSBU)WarlockPunch.png

  Struck by Ganondorf's Warlock Punch

Trivia

• Sheik is currently referred to with male pronouns on the Smash Blog despite being referred to with female pronouns in every Smash appearance thus far, as well as on various other official Nintendo social websites. Likewise, the game itself uses both female and male pronouns: Sheik is referred to with female pronouns in her moveset and tips, while Palutena and Viridi refer to Sheik with male pronouns in Palutena's Guidance, albeit in the latter instance is done for comedic purposes as Pit then mentions her being an alter-ego of Zelda.
• Ultimate is the first Smash game where Sheik's design is based off of a different The Legend of Zelda game than her alter-ego, Zelda.
• Ultimate is also the first installment in the series that gives Sheik a Final Smash different from Zelda's.
• Like in the previous installment, Sheik will revert to her Brawl idle animation while holding a small throwable item.
• In Palutena's Guidance, Sheik is referred to in the sense of having been present before in Smash 4 ("Sheik appears to be wearing a traditional Sheikah outfit this time around."), despite every other newly recorded Zelda character guidance bringing up the characters having separate incarnations throughout the franchise (Ganondorf being the same person, Link being a different person than before and Zelda and Young Link being specific incarnations). This implies that she's the same version of Zelda/Sheik seen in Brawl and 4 that was based upon the scrapped Twilight Princess design.